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Nov. 12, 1929. R. MacGREGoR HATCH COVER Filed Aug. 21, 1928 :5Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 12, 1929. R. MaoGREGoR HATCH COVER Filed Aug. 2l,1928 3 Sheets-Sheet Patented Nov. 12, 1929 PATENT OFFICE BOBBTIACGBEGOR, OF LONDON, ENGLAND HATCH OOVEB Application med August 21,1928, Serial No. 301,113. and in Great Britain Iebrnry 24, 1M.

This invention relates to ships hatch covers of the kind comprising aplurality of cover plates adapted to assume co-planar covering positionsover the hatch opening when in use and to be brought to collateralupstanding positions at the side of the hatch when not in use forcovering purposes. The present invention is characterized in that a pairof rollers provided on each of the cover plates, one

1 at each end each thereof, travel on the side coamings of the hatch,the construction being such that the plates are adapted t0 swing aboutthe axes of the said rollers to vertical collateral non-coveringpositions. Further objects consist in providing means for mechanicallymoving the cover plates into and from their aforesaid covering andnon-covering positions, and in constructing track rails or equivalent,on to which the cover 2o plate rollers pass when said plates are movedinto non-covering positions, with downwardly sloping portions whichcause the cover plates to separate and become disengaged from oneanother by gravitating successively down the said sloping portions whenmoved along to non-covering positions.

In order to make the invention readily understood, reference is directedto the following description to be read in conjunction ao with theaccompanying drawings, of which latter Figure 1 is a fragmentarylongitudinal section through the hatch constructed in accordance withthe invention,

Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is an enlarged section on line :vin Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view through a cover plate and hatch.coaming, showing means that may be employed for exerting a closingpressure on the cover plates,

Figure 5 is a section on line y-y of Figure 2,

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a flexible weather strip that may beprovided at the joints between plates,

Figure 7 is a perspective view `of a rigid bar employed for retainingsaid weather strip in position,

Figure 8 is a plan view of the hatch illustrating the mode of moving thecover plates to non-covering positions,

Figure 9 is a plan view of the hatch illustrating the mode of moving thecover plates back to covering positions,

Figure 10 is a vertical longitudinal section through the hatch in aconstruction having sloping track rails, and

Figure 11 is an enlarged horizontal section on the axis of the rollersof one of the cover plates employed in the construction shown in Figures8, 9 and 10.

In the drawings, reference 1 represents the ships deck, 2 the hatchcoaming and 3 external flanges ofthe hatch coaming,which can be eitherintegrally formed with said coaming or consist of angle-section barsailixed thereto.

Each of the cover plates 4 is furnished with a pair of rollers 5arranged one at each end of the plate and positioned centrally of itswidth, each of said rollers being mounted to rotate about a bush 6eccentrically bored to take an axle 7 which is formed integrally with aneye plate 8 attached rigidly upon the cover plate 4 as shown in Figure3. The said rollers arel adapted to roll along the flanges 3 at the topof the side coamings of the hatchway, and enable the plates to be movedalong the hatch from their normal co-planar covering positions in whichthey are shown in full lines in Figure 1 to their vertical uncoveringpositions (as shown dotted) in which they are clear of the area of thehatch opening. In thus moving from the one position to the other, therollers after rolling along the flanges 3 pass off of the same and rollon to track rails 9 arranged at one end of the hatch with their uppersurfaces as flush continuations of the upper surfaces of the flanges 3of the hatch side coamings. The said track rails 9 may consist ofintegral extensions of the said side coamings but preferabl consist ofseparate bars supported from the eck 1.V

In moving the cover plates from their covering to out-of-use positionsthey are moved horizontally along until clear of the hatch opening, whenthey are swung about the axles 7 to their vertical 'tions The end wall 2of the hatch is redu ed in height in order to allow downwardly dependingwalls 10 of the plates to pass when the plates are being moved along.The projecting portions of the eccentric bushes 6 are of hexagonal formand adapted to receive a Spanner 11 (Figure 3) by operating which thecover plate may be raised or lowered with respect to the axis of theroller 5; thus, after bringing the cover plate to the required coveringposition it may be lowered by partially rotating the bush 6 in order tocause it to take a firm bearing on the top of the hatch coaming.

In order to form a waterti ht joint around the contour of the compositehatch cover, suitable packing such as a rope 12 can be interposedbetween the plates 4 and the flanges 3 of the hatch coaming afterbringing the plates to required positions and before lowering same, anda taper-or Wedge--section bar 13 affixed to the underneath of theoverlapping part of each cover plate, comes to bear on such packing whensaid cover plate is lowered as above described. If necessary saidwedge-section bar 13 may be longitudinally grooved in order to preventthe packing 12 moving laterally out of position.

In order to ensure of a firm seating of the cover plate a number of pins14 (Figure 4) may be swivelly mounted in the coaming flanges 3 insuitable positions, having lateral heads 15 adapted to bear on the uppersurfaces of thevarious cover plates, and being slotted in order toreceive tapering cotters 16 adapted to bear against the undersurfaces ofthe coaming flanges, by means of which the plates 4 are firmly presseddown into place. The said pins 14' are adapted to be turned about theaxes of their stem portions from the cover-plate-engaging positionsshown, to an alternative position in which their lateral heads 15 areclear of the plates, so as to allow the latter to be raised and moved asrequired. Conveniently the said pins may be so positioned that the headof each is adapted to bear upon two adjacent plates, that is to say byarranging said pins in line with the positions assumed by the meetingedges of adjacent plates. The heads 15 may be splayed out if necessary.

In order to ensure of correct positioning and engagement of the adjacentcover plates 4 with one another when in covering positions,downwardly-extending walls 10 on the cover plates 4 disposed adjacentand parallel to their abutting edges, have a stud and hole engagementwith one another. That is to say at cach joint between adjacent plates,the adjacent wall 10 of one plate is furnished with two or moreprojecting studs 23, which may have pointed or rounded noses, each ofsaid studs taking into an aperture in the adjacent wall 10 of the nextplate, as shown in Figure 5.

The said downwardly-extending walls 10 of the plates 4 may be formedintegrally therewith but 'preferably are constituted by portions of bulbangle-section or other suitable section stilening bars attached to theundersides of said plates 4, and the dis sition of. the said walls 10 issuch that wliiih adjacent plates abut, a space exists between theirrespective adjacent walls 10. Within the said space is accommodated achannel section iiexible rubber stri 17 havin a lower extension 18,adapted to e clampe against the wall 10 having the studs 23, by means ofa rigid metal, wooden or other strip 19 hav ing lateral slots 20 adaptedto engage over the studs 23, the studs being undercut as shown at 21 toprovide a shoulder against which the rigid stri 19 bears.

The channel 22 o the flexible rubber strip 17 is upwardly directed andislocated immediately below the abutting edges of the adjacent coverplates. The said channel 22 may if desired be filled with tallow or anyother suitable waterproofing substance of a lastic nature, and theaction of moving a jacent plates together causes compression of thechannel 22 between the approaching walls 10 of the adjacent plates,whereby the tallow or the like is forced up into the joint between theadjacent plates, thus forming a watertight joint. The channel strip 17may be modified from the particular construction shown; for instance itcould consist simply of a longitudinally split rubber tube with itsopening uppermost, mounted on a rigid bar supported horizontally on thestuds by being aiiiXed thereto or lying in the undercut recessesthereof, or a plain rubber strip could be used adapted to be force-d upagainst the joint by its compression.

It is convenient to use a tarpaulin sheet as a waterproof cover for thecomposite cover, the edges of which may be clam ed under the edges ofthe cover plates whic overlap the hatch coaming flanges.

Instead of the studs 23, any equivalent proj ections may be provided.

If desired the stud-and-hole engaged walls 1() formed by bulbangle-section stifening bars or otherwise, may project upwardly abovethe cover plates instead of projecting downwardly therefrom.

A similar device to that shown in Figure 4 may be used for locking inposition a vertical Achannel bar for closing the space between the hatchcoaming and cover plates at the end of tlfle hatch where covers areintended to slide o In the construction shown in Figure .10, track rails9 on to which the rollers pass when the covers are clear of thehatch-way, are each formed with a downward sloping portion 24. When therollers 5 of a cover plate bein moved to non-covering position reach theownwardly sloping port-ions 24 of the track rails 9 the plateautomatically gravitates down said rails, and in so doing the studs 23furnished on said plate for coriso rectly positioning same, with respectto an adjacent plate, become disengaged from s aid adjacent plate due tothe plates separating. After thus gravitating the plate automaticallyswings to vertical position, due to the fact that, 1n practice, therollers 5 are positioned slightly to one side of the longitudinal centreline of the plate so that there is unequal distribution of the weight ofsaid plate about the rollers, that is to say, more wei ht on one side ofthe roller axis than on the ot er side.

As shown in Fi l() and 11 each of the rollers is mounteV to rotate abouta bush 6 eccentrically bored to take an axle 7 formed integrally with aneye-plate 8 attached rigidly upon the cover plate 4. Partial rotation ofthe said bush 6 causes the plate 4 to rise or fall according to thedirection of rotation, as above described and the said bush 6 is formedwith an integral lever extension 11 to facilitate manipulation of saidbush, and a pin 25 adapted to be passed through said lever and into theend o the cover plate may be provided for retaining the lever in setposition.

A metal link 26 also is mounted on the axle 7, and lengths of chainwire-rope or eqzuivalent 27 connect the link 26 of one plate with thecorresponding link of the next plate throughout the series of plates,their lengths being suicient to allow of adjacent plates separating sucha distance as to disengage from one another.

Movement of the plates to and from covering and non-covering positionsis eiected by means of a winch 28 located at the end of the hatchwayremote rom that end at which the plates are accommodated when innon-covering positions.

As shown in Figure 8, in order to move the plates to non-coveringpositions the two portions of a bridle 29 connected to a ropeorequivalent 30 being wound on the winch are passed around sheaves 31suitably supported from the rails 9 or deck 1 and the doubledbac-kportions of the bridle 29 are attached to the eyes of the eye-plates ofthe endmost plate 4. It will follow that when the winch operates theplate 4'L is moved in a direction towards the hatch end at which theplates are accommodated when clear of the hatch, and such movement ofthe said plate 4 pushes the other plates successively on to the trackrails 9, and when their rollers reach the inclined portions 24 of saidtrack rails, said plates become successively disengaged from one anotherand swing to vertical positions. Referring to Figure 9, in order toreplace the plates to covering positions, a bridle 32 connected to thewinch rope 30 is attached at its ends to the eye plates of the plate 4aand the rope 30 being wound on the winch obtains a direct pull on theplate 4* so as to pull same to covering position. The chains 27 whichcouple the cover plates together cause the remaining plates to be drawnalong, and the.

final closing together of the platescan be effected by hand.

If desired the levers 11 of the adjacent plates may be coupled bylengths of chain or the like or other suitable connection means so as toprovide for actuating all the said levers simultaneously.

I claim:

1. A hatch cover for ships hatches comprising a plurality of coverplates adapted to assume co-planar covering positions over the hatchopening, a pair of rollers on each cover plate arranged one at each endthereof and adapted to travel on the hatch side coamings, and a mountingfor each roller consisting of an eccentric bush adapted to.be partiallyrotated in order to raise and lower the cover plates when in coveringpositions, the plates being adapted to swingr about the axes of therollers to vertical collateral noncovering positions.

2. A hatch cover for ships hatches comprising a plurality of coverplates adapted to assume co-planar covering positions over the hatchopening, ribs on said cover plates disposed near the meeting edgesthereof so,that at each joint between lates, a space exists between theadjacent ri s of adjacent plates, studs on some of said ribs andapertures in the remaining ribs for the reception of said studs, andchannel-section flexible strips one for each joint between the plates,said flexible strips being carried by the studs and each being arrangedwith its channel upwardly directed so that said channel is locatediinmediately below the abutting edges of adjacent plates.

3. A hatch cover for ships hatches comprising a plurality of coverplates adapted to assume co-planar covering positions over the hatchopening, a pair of rollers on each cover plate arranged one at each endthereof in such a manner as to afford unequal distribution of the weightof the plate and ada ted to travel on the hatch side coamings, eac platebeing adapted to swing about the axes of its rollers, track rails incontinuation of the upper surfaces of the hatch side coamings, adownwardly sloping portion to`each track rail arranged to cause thecover plates to separate by gravitating successively down the saidsloping portions, and to swing to vertical positions owing to theirunequal weight distribution, and means for mechanically moving the coverplates to co-planar covering positions and alternatively on to the trackrai s.

4. A hatch cover forA ships hatches comprising a plurality of coverplates adapted to assume co-planar cover positions over the hatchopening, a pair of rollers on each cover plate arranged one at each endthereof in such a manner as to afford unequal distribution of the weightof the plate and adapted to travel on the hatch side coamings, eachplate being adapted to swing about the axes o its rollers, positioningstuds projecting hom ribs on the cover plates disposed near the meetingedges of said plates, apertures in other rihs of said plates forreceiving said studs so that there is a stud engagement in the case ofeach two adjacent plates, means for coupling the plates togetherarranged to allow sucient separation of the plates to permitdisengagement of the positioning studs, traclr rails in continuation ofthe upper surfaces of the hatch side coamings, a downwardly slopingportion to each track rail arranged to cause the cover plates toseparate and eiect stud disengagement by gravitating successively downsaid sloping portions and to swing to vertical positions owing to theirunequal Weight distribution, and means for mechanically moving the coverplates to co-planar covering positions and alternatively on to the trackrails.

5. A hatch cover for ships hatches comprising a plurality of coverplates adapted to assume co-planar covering positions over the hatchopening, a pair of rollers on each plate arranged one at each endthereof and adapted to travel on the hatch side coamings, a mounting foreach roller consisting of an eccentric bush adapted to be partiallyrotated in order to raise and lower the cover plates when in coveringpositions, the plates being adapted to swing about the axes of therollers to noncovering positions, means whereby the plates are caused toengage together, means for coupling together the plates in such a manneras to afford sulicient separation thereof to allow of disengagement oftheir inter-engaging means, actuating levers formed integral with theeccentric bushes for manipulating same, and means for coupling togethersaid actuating levers so as to provide for simultaneous actuation of thevarious eccentric bushes.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification atLondon, England this 27 th day of July, 1928.

ROBERT MACGREGUR.

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